Waiting Game
by Limitless Musings
Summary: Because there was nothing else he could do. He chose to wait.


Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

 _Summary:_ Because there was nothing else he could do. He chose to wait.

 _Pairing: Houjo/Kagome_

 _ **Waiting Game**_

Houjo waited for her. Time and time again he placed himself in the zone known as romantic limbo. He'd known that she hadn't been sick. Her pallor had always been much too tan and full of life for her to have any of the illnesses that her grandfather claimed. It was unlikely that a woman as young as Kagome would suffer from issues like gout. Sure it wasn't completely outside the realm of possibility, but her mobility when she attended classes begged to differ. He nearly laughed at the notion. So day in and day out he'd waited. He stood by the gates of their school and watched the faces in the crowd for her. He'd missed her, but he could never tell her such a thing. She was far too in love with another to notice him. His heart clenched at the thought. The faceless man whom he'd likely never meet.

If there was one thing he'd learned, it was that Kagome was a headstrong and incredibly stubborn young woman. She knew what she wanted in life and wasn't afraid to reach out for it with both palms splayed openly. She was the fire that lit the spark of determination in their peers. Despite all of the rumors that surrounded her, Kagome always _stood out_. Maybe that was when he started to feel something for her? Wherever she went eyes would follow her. Men, women, it didn't matter. It wasn't that she was beautiful in some otherworldly sense. It was just that she became the very _life_ of a room. Like the current of a river's rushing water—she pushed everyone forward and sparked their curiosity.

How could one girl supposedly so frail be so strong? He'd seen her blast through their gym courses. He'd witnessed her go toe to toe with bullies and refused to back down. He'd also watched her comfort her friends in their desperate times of need. She was beautiful, not just in her skin but in everything else about her. He loved her. But he knew that he could never have her. At least not like this.

His eyes searched the thickening crowds for a flash of her smile or the light sound of her laugh. The days without Kagome were always bland. They were grey and monochromatic—lacking the illustrious fun that always seemed to follow in the tracks she left behind. Maybe he was biased. Maybe he was so far gone that he just simply imposed his own image upon the woman known as Higurashi Kagome. But he knew that she truly was someone that had touched him deeply.

It'd only started as a form of concern. He'd heard from the grapevine that she'd fallen ill. So he'd chosen to check in on her himself. At the time when he first asked her out, he'd only had a minor crush on her. She'd been cute and shown a small interest in him. As a man who'd been unused to female attention, he'd been flattered—excited even at the possibility of being someone else's crush. So he did his duty and went to the girl whom he thought would soon be his girlfriend if he'd played his cards right. A wry smile crossed his lips. If only that'd been the case.

As always, Kagome had been as healthy as a horse. Not a single bit of evidence to suggest that she'd been down with a particularly nasty bit of flu. Instead she'd gained toned muscles, tanned skin and a sharper look in her eyes. In that moment he'd realized that she had _changed_. It wasn't the shy and innocent girl that he'd grown curious about. In that child's stead was a blossoming woman who was exploring her own sense of self.

Houjo tipped his chin towards the overcast sky. A trickle of rain seeped from the clouds onto his cheek. How long ago had that been? Six months? Eight? It honestly felt like years to him. His wry smile slid away. How much more time would they have left? Their graduation was only a few mere weeks away. The very thought caused his heart to ache within his chest. He could never call her his in such short time. He could never wrap his arms around her and hold her close to him. He could never tell her how he felt. Because he knew. He knew that what she was facing wasn't just diseases. It was something _more_.

His suspicion fed his fears. At first he just tried to catch her at school; subtle hints here and there that he wanted to speak to her privately. Of course her friends gushed and pushed her to him. In that much he could count on their interference. But he had a singular goal in mind and a date was not one of them. The first time he remembered Kagome standing awkwardly. Her hands had been clasped behind her back as her eyes darted towards the world beyond the pane of the window that they'd stood beside. Even though she'd been right in front of him, her eyes never saw _him_. They were elsewhere—searching for someone beyond the glass.

"Are you alright?" The words slipped out before he could stop them. She'd pressed her lips into a warm smile but it wasn't real. It was just a placating action to sooth a troubled soul. He didn't want that. "You're not sick. So why have you been missing so many days?" At that time he'd cringed at the biting tone his own voice held to it. He wasn't angry. He was just scared. Was someone bullying her into skipping? Was she being threatened? Word had run around that she'd been seeing a man who, in her friend's direct terms, was verbally abusive to her. He wanted to protect her. Question was, did she even want his protection?

Kagome hadn't given him an answer then. Only a shocked glance and a simple, "I'm fine." He hated that. Not even five minutes alone and he'd already been shut down. So how could he have possibly convinced her? He'd wanted her to stay. He'd wanted her where he could see her, could watch over her. But that was never what she wanted.

Houjo's shoulders dropped as he closed his eyes. Their time together was drawing to a close, yet the only thing he managed to finagle from the woman he loved the most was a simple "I'm fine". How pathetic was he? So many times he looked himself in the mirror and asked "Is it me?" Was he not enough? Was he simple too _boring_? It certainly seemed so. She'd look at him. She'd talk to him. But it was as if she'd never seen him as anything other than 'the friend'. That lamentable zone that many good men found themselves ousted to when they could not properly communicate their feelings—or worse yet, their feelings were completely ignored.

He gave a thoughtful hum. Was that what this was like then? He loved her so dearly. The very thought of seeing her with another struck a chord within him. Especially if the man was anything like how her friends had made him out to be: A boorish, brutish and utterly incapable man who had no concept of anything other than himself and his needs. He bit the inside of his cheek sharply. The taste of copper filled his tongue as the first draw of blood filled his senses.

He couldn't be the exciting rebel, swinging a bat and raising hell in the streets. He couldn't be the smooth talking criminal with a tongue made of silver and heart of brass. But he _was_ the dependable man who was so determined that not even fate itself would stop him from being the support Kagome would need. It wouldn't be now. It probably wouldn't even be within the next few months. But eventually she would _see_ why those types of guys weren't good. They'd trample her. They'd stomp on her. They'd treat her as if she were just a burden. If at all possible, he wished to sway her to him before that happened but he wasn't sure if that was a possibility any more.

His gaze drifted along the crowd. Then, in the far corner, he spotted the familiar fanning of raven hair and light of azure eyes. She was here. His smile returned to his lips as he pushed off of the school's gate. His feet carried him over the courtyard more swiftly than he'd intended. He loved her. He missed her. So he'd be beside her when the time came.

Eri, Yuka and Ayumi were nowhere to be seen. The first pittering of rain started to fall over their heads. Kagome threw her arms over her head as she tried to rush under the heavy foot traffic. Houjo quickly trailed closer to her. He had to get to her. He moved faster, the rainwater becoming slick beneath the soles of his feet. His arm stretched forward with his fingers splayed widely. He looked like an idiot. He knew that but his body refused to listen to his mind. Instead he took heed only to his heart.

The young woman burst through the crowd. Her feet slipped in the pooling water and her legs started to cave under her. With one last push, he was at her side, his arms circling around her waist and hauling her up before she could fall. He heard the sharp intake of her breath as her fingers clutched at the thick cloth of his school uniform.

"Kagome, are you alright?" Houjo couldn't keep the concern from furrowing his brows and tightening his expression. With ease he shifted so that she was able to stand back on her own two feet. She gave a shaky nod from within his arms.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks Houjo." In that singular moment something snapped. Like the clap of thunder, her eyes met his. She tipped her head upwards and her lips barely a breath's away from his. He felt her warmth of her breath upon his mouth. He sensed her back stiffening with sudden realization and her eyes darting to his lips as if surprised by their sudden closeness. He should let her go. He should release her. Slowly, his hands fell away from her. A bright flush crossed the bridge of her nose cutely. Had he done that? His smile grew warm once more.

"Let's head inside. You'll get sick in this cold." He opened his palm to her. He couldn't be the rebel. He couldn't be the smooth talker. But he could be himself. That was all that mattered. Delicate fingers traced over the pads of his fingertip; slowly sliding into his grip trustingly. Gently he guided her towards the school building. Kagome wasn't his. He couldn't claim to be anything to her other than a friend. But that was more than enough.

He allowed his gaze to drift towards their interlocked hands. He'd made her blush. He'd gotten her to see him, not as a simple-minded boy, but as someone capable of sparking her interest. His smile deepened. It was small but it was there. Even if it took years. Even if they were separated by time and distance; he'd wait. Because that was what he was good at. He was patient. He was determined. And he loved her enough to try.

"Here," He briefly shrugged off his jacket. Swiftly, he draped it over her head. It wouldn't do much for what had already gotten wet, but at least it'd protect her from further issues. "Use it to keep warm." He took her hand once more. One day she would see him. One day she would forget all about the man who was stealing so much of her precious time from them. One day she would love him. Until then, he'd wait. His fingers searched for hers. Houjo tangled them together as he led her down the crowded hallways. When all else failed, he would be there when she needed him.


End file.
